1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a pressure driven apparatus. In particular, the present invention relates to a pressure driven apparatus that functions by making use of a pressure differential on opposing sides of a membrane to produce a rotational power output. The pressure differential could be generated by any number of sources including pneumatics, combustion gases, hydraulics, head pressure from a column of water, or pressure differentials created by thermal gradients. The present invention also includes a device using an external combustion apparatus to supply large amounts of heated and pressurized combustion gases to the pressure driven apparatus.
2. Description of the Related Art
A number of forms of pressure driven motors are known. Pressure driven motors may function on a number of operating principles. However, in some examples, pressure driven motors function through pressure force acting upon a piston in a cylinder which is in turn connected to a crankshaft, a turbine rotor on a rotating shaft, a vane on a rotating shaft, or an impeller mounted on a shaft.
These pressure driven motor designs all suffer from a number of drawbacks, including complex construction, relatively low torque, relatively low displacement for the size of the unit, and the fact that significant damage may be caused to these pressure driven motors if the motor becomes overloaded.
Thus, there would be an advantage if it were possible to provide a pressure driven apparatus (particularly a pressure driven apparatus for a motor) that provides for the improved production of reliable and efficient power and work from potential energy sources. In turn, these advantages provide consumers with cleaner, more environmentally-friendly and more efficient options.
In conventional combustion apparatus, such as those used to provide the driving force to vehicles and the like, the combustion apparatus is an engine in which combustion takes place internally to the engine.
While engines of this kind have become widely used, they suffer from a number of drawbacks, including their bulky size, poorer efficiency, higher fuel consumption, higher level of hazardous emissions (such as nitrous oxides and carbon monoxide) and the higher cost of construction. In addition, conventional internal combustion engines are adapted to run on a single type of fuel only, making them relatively inflexible.
Some attempts have been made to overcome these drawbacks. For instance, a number of external combustion apparatuses have been developed in which a motor (or similar device) is powered using energy generated in a combustion apparatus located externally to the motor. However, these devices suffer from the drawbacks of having lower efficiency (including failing to recover waste heat), require combustion to occur at high temperatures, require cooling and do not provide for such typical vehicle conditions such as idling or instant starting.
Thus, there would be an advantage to provide an external combustion apparatus that demonstrated relatively high efficiency, relatively low emissions and was capable of being operated using multiple types of fuel.
External combustion and pressure driven device designs all have their shortcomings. The present invention is designed to create an improved external combustion and pressure driven motor device to help overcome the disadvantages of the existing art.
Some benefits include:                More compact power source        Lower NOx and CO emissions        Higher efficiency        Lower fuel consumption        Multi-fuel capability        Elimination of cooling requirement        Regenerative braking        No idling and Instant starting        Waste heat recovery        Low cost materials of construction        Computer controlled operation        
All of these features are important to create an improved method and apparatus to produce clean and reliable power from combustible energy sources. This results in more options for the consumer and a cleaner environment.
It will be clearly understood that, if a prior art publication is referred to herein, this reference does not constitute an admission that the publication forms part of the common general knowledge in the art in the United States or in any other country.